Chapter 11: What's This?

The day after Halloween, Meg walked through the graveyard with Zero floating beside her, barking to get her attention. The girl stopped her walk to look down at the ghost dog. "What is it, Zero? Do you want to play?" Zero barked once for yes and she smiled, picking up a stick. "Alright then boy, fetch!" She threw the stick and he flew after it. Zero was about to pick it up when a grayish-blue hand grabbed it. The ghost dog tilted his head as a male with messy forest green hair, no taller than her, came out. Meg furrowed her brow bone. "Uh...Excuse me can we have that back please? We were playing with it." The male grinned. "Well what do we have here..."

"It looks like a Skellington!" Meg spun around to face a woman with mint green skin and long, dark blue kinky hair. She felt a pull on her hair and turned around to face Barrel. "Why is your hair orange? Sally's is red." Meg looked confused. "I don't know. How do you know my family?"

"We have a past with yo-OW!" Barrel rubbed his head when a broomstick smacked him in the back of it. "Shut it, idiot! How we know your family doesn't matter. You shouldn't be this far in the graveyard alone..." The skeleton gulped and Zero growled, flying in front of Meg protectively. "Look, I don't want any trouble...We'll just get going..." Barrel looked confused then grabbed her arm. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"We didn't mean us, we want to be your friends!" Shock said, swinging an arm around her shoulders. "Why do you want to be my friends? I don't even know your names!"

"Oh! I'm Barrel!" Barrel grinned.

"And I'm Shock!" Shock introduced.

"And I'm Lock."

Meg jumped, spinning around when she heard a new voice behind her. She stumbled back a step so she didn't bump into him. Her breath caught and she blushed when she saw him. He had milky white skin, dark red hair framing his face with his bangs styled into horns, a tall, lithe figure and a goatee. She couldn't take her eye sockets off him. Wow, he's cute...Wait what? She thought. She shook her thoughts. "Sorry about that. I'm a, um, Meg. Meg Skellington. You scared me by sneaking up like that." Lock smiled flirtatiously. "Sorry about that...A pleasure to meet you, Meg." Lock held out his hand and she shook it.

He raised her hand to his face and kissed the back of it. Meg turned bright red. Lock released her hand. "Sorry if these two gave you a hard time. They're idiots."

"Hey!" Both Shock and Barrel exclaimed. Meg couldn't help but laugh. "You're all funny. Well it's nice to meet you all. I don't have many friends my age. Not many children in Halloween Town."

"Well we're actually 20, 21 and 22. But technically we still count as kids." Lock explained, smiling. "I see. So where do you live? I've never seen you guys before." Shock pointed to a nearby mausoleum. "There. It isn't much but, eh..." Meg frowned. "You live in an old mausoleum? You don't have a home?" Barrel kicked the ground, looking down. "We used to...But we had to leave. Oops, wasn't supposed to tell you that...!" Lock hit in the back of his head with a plunger. "Ow!" Barrel growled and hit Lock. Soon Meg was watching both boys fight. "...Do you guys always fight...?" She asked Shock. Shock sighed. "Yeah, we have anger issues...We've been together our entire lives." Meg was surprised and looked at Shock. "Really? Wow, that's incredible! I feel terrible that you guys don't have a proper home...I wish I could help." Shock was taken aback as she felt a pang in her heart. No ones ever wanted to help them before...Or felt sorry for them. Meg noticed and put a hand on Shock's shoulder. "Shock you okay? If it's something I said, I'm sorry-"

"N-No. It's not that. It's just...We're not used to such kindness...It's new to us. We're used to people hating us." The skeleton girl frowned and furrowed her brow bone. "Why would people hate you? You seem perfectly friendly to me..."

"It's...It's what we did when we were younger. We-" She cut herself off he was about to tell this girl their secret! What was happening to her? Meg looked confused. "You what?" Shock shook her head. "It's nothing. Don't worry."

"Yeah what Shock said." Lock agreed. Both girls turned to look at the boys. They had stopped fighting and were bruised up. Barrel stood up, holding his stomach as it growled. "Guys I'm hungry..." Shock face palmed herself and put her hands on her hips. "You're always hungry!"

"No I mean it! I haven't eaten all day!" Suddenly Lock hunched over as well. "For once Barrel's right...I'm starving..." Shock rolled her eyes. "You're both ba-" She stopped as her own stomach demanded food as well. "Okay, okay fine. Let's get some pumpkins..." Meg's eyesockets widened in shock. "Raw pumpkins? Is that what you eat?"

"That's all we can get." Lock answered. Meg scowled, crossing her arms. "Unacceptable. You guys wait here and I'll be right back." Before the trio could argue the girl had run off. Zero followed behind her. "Where's she going?" Barrel asked. "I have no idea..." Shock answered. She sat down, leaning against a gravestone. Lock looked down at her. "By the way, don't think I couldn't hear you while we were fighting. What happened to you Shock? You almost gave us away!" Shock glared up at him. "I don't know what happened okay?! She made me feel weird...I think it was guilt..." Barrel's jaw dropped in disbelief. "What? YOU? Feeling guilt?!" Barrel then burst out laughing and fell over. Lock couldn't hold in his laughter and doubled over. Shock growled and grabbed her broomstick, hitting them both. "OW!" They complained. "I'm not joking! Meg actually seems genuine. I don't think she's ever heard of us." Lock scoffed. "Good. That makes this much easier then." "Actually...I think Shock is right. I like her." Barrel spoke up. "Oh come on! She's a Skellington! A SKELLINGTON!" Lock yelled. "So?! Who cares?! What's our deal with the Skellingtons anyway?! Jack had only tried to help us! He knew that Oogie cwould cook-"

"DON'T you DARE BRING THAT UP! We agreed to never talk about that again!" Lock was livid with anger now. Shock suddenly stood up, getting in Lock's face. "MY POINT IS WHY DO WE STILL HATE THE SKELLINGTONS, LOCK?! Besides you're one to talk! You kissed her hand!"

"To charm her you idiot!"

"I think Lock just likes her but he's too proud to admit it." Barrel spoke up. The devil and witch turned to him. Lock blushed. "I do not! How many times do I have to say it?!" Shock smirked. "Then why are you blushing?" Lock growled. "I'm not blushing! I'm just hot that's all!" He protested. Barrel snickered. "Sure you are..." Lock lunged at Barrel and tackled him to the ground. Shock sighed as they started to fight again. Luckily the fight didn't last long. Both boys looked up as they heard barking. "That's Zero!" Barrel exclaimed in surprise.

Soon the ghost dog flew into sight, a smelting girl with pumpkin orange hair following after. She held a basket in her hand, covered in a cloth. Both boys stood up and dusted themselves off as Meg ran up. "Sorry I took so long. I had to run home real quick. My parents are working so no one was home. Here!" She held up the basket. Barrel perked up as he caught the scent of food. "Mmm...! Something smells delicious!" Shock stepped forward and took the basket. She pulled back the cloth carefully and froze, eyes wide. All three of them stared, stunned. Meg just smiled warmly. "I hope you like it." Barrel reached in the basket and pulled out a warm loaf of bread. Lock reached in and pulled out some cooked meat, while Shock pulled out a pumpkin pie that was still warm. "What...What's all this for?" Shock asked. "Well I went home and cooked some stuff for you guys! Go ahead try it!" Lock inspected the meat and looked at Shock and Barrel. He picked up some meat and took a bite, eyes widening. Meg waited expectantly for his opinion. He swallowed. "It's...delicious!" Barrel and Shock grabbed meat as well and ate. "Mmmmm! It is delicious!" They both said. Meg grinned happily. "I'm so glad you all like it!" Barrel tore off some bread and ate it. "The bread is so soft and so good...!" Meg giggled and watched the trio as they ate hungrily. She was surprised by the time they finished. There wasn't even a crumb left of food! They all sat down, with the exception of Barrel, who was lieing on his back. "I never thought I'd say this but...I'm stuffed..." Lock and Shock's jaws dropped. "WHAT?!" Barrel looked up. "What? All that food filled me up!"

"It's a miracle...!" Lock exclaimed. Shock looked at Meg. "We've never heard Barrel say that before...Ever!"

"I guess you guys haven't had a real home cooked meal before?" Shock shook her head. "You're right. We haven't...Why'd you go through so much trouble for us?"

"Well why not? You guys are very nice, I'm having fun hanging out with you all and you can't live on raw pumpkins." Meg stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Plus you guys are my friends, now." Shock put her hands over her heart. The pangs were stronger now. Shock didn't like them. "You...You didn't have to do that...We've survived on raw pumpkins for sixteen years..."

"Sixteen years?! That's it, from now on, no more raw pumpkins. I'll bring you guys food to eat, okay?" Meg jumped when she felt Barrel hug her. "Really?! You're the best! I like you!" Meg laughed softly, smiling. "I like you all too." Shock couldn't help but give a warm smile. Me too...Thanks Meg...Really, thank you..." Lock looked at them when he saw his cohorts staring at him. "Thank you, Meg...This is very generous of you..." When she smiled, Lock smiled and he felt his face heat up. Was he blushing again? And what was this feeling in him? It felt like wings or something flying around his stomach, and his heart was pounding. What was happening to him?